MD SPCA KB Fund – Saving lives through community donations

12:06 am

By Hannah Weaver

As dog owners, we understand that veterinary bills for our canine companion can often be quite high. Local animal shelters and rescues including the Maryland SPCA are faced with incoming and surrendered animals every year in poor health requiring medical attention to stay alive. In order to help these dogs, the Maryland SPCA started the KB Fund in 2000. The Fund was created specifically to help cover the expenses of KB, a dog that was set on fire and treated for burns to 50 percent of his body. People donated more than $30,000 to the fund and after KB’s medical bills were paid, the MD SPCA established the fund permanently for medical expenses of animals without permanent homes. This fund is working to help save the lives of dogs and get them the medical attention they need. More than 100 pets were helped last year because of the KB Fund.

Meet Humphrey, a Bull Mastiff, who was in desperate need of a surgical procedure to fix a deformity in his left leg that caused pain in every step he took. Luckily for Humphrey, the KB Fund set up by the Maryland SPCA was able to raise enough money to get Humphrey the initial surgery he required that cost $3,500. Dr. Anders at Chesapeake Veterinary Surgical Specialists of Towson (CVSS) was the surgeon operating on Humphrey and once he analyzed the situation, determined Humphrey would require a second surgery to ensure his pain would cease. The practice did not charge any additional fees for the second surgery. Without the help from donors and the MD SPCA, this surgery would not be possible and Humphrey would continue to live his life in extreme discomfort. Unfortunately, during his second surgery it was determined that Humphrey’s leg was too damaged and could not be fixed as originally planned, and the best option was to amputate it. Thanks to the donations made by donors to the KB Fund and the medical care from Dr. Anders and staff at CVSS, Humphrey will still be able to live a long and happy life. Currently, Humphrey is recovering from the amputation and doing wonderfully in foster care. Humphrey’s foster mom has decided to adopt Humphrey.

Humphrey is just one example of how the MD SPCA’s KB Fund has changed the life of an animal. The Maryland SPCA is also responsible for the rescue of 20 puppies from a puppy mill in Baltimore. Many of these puppies were given homes and lived happy lives, but two, in particular, Flapjack and Penguin, were found to have contracted Parvo. Parvo is a virus that attacks the intestinal tract of young puppies and is also highly contagious. Luckily for the two puppies, the SPCA KB Fund collected around $15,000 to help take care of the medical expenses and provide the dogs with the attention they needed to get better. The dogs, now Jack and Mira, have both found homes and even had a playdate reunion during Thanksgiving of 2014.

Sadly, dogs and puppies all over the area are found in poor conditions that demand immediate, and expensive medical attention. Ever since the Maryland SPCA set up the KB Fund, these puppies and dogs can receive the required attention and get the opportunity to live long and happy lives with loving families. The MD SPCA receives no funding from the government or the ASPCA. They can help pets like Humphrey because of community support and donations to the KB Fund, a 100% donor-funded program for emergency medical care. The KB Fund uses donations from donors in the area and works with local veterinarian specialists to help these dogs. Without the fund, many of them would not have the happy lives they have today. The MD SPCA also works with a network of foster parents who foster the dogs in their recovery and have at times ended up adopting the dogs when all is said and done. This network of connections has provided hope and chance for dogs found in poor condition all over the area and ensures their lives will be lived to their full potential.

Donations Save Lives If you would like to donate to the KB Fund visit: www.mdspca.org/ programs/kb-fund-1/

To make a donation over the phone, please call Lisa Kenney @ 410-235-8826 ex. 135.

Hannah Weaver resides in Howard County, MD and is currently attending Clemson University. Hannah enjoys spending time with her dog Rosie, friends, and family. She is studying biology and business administration at Clemson University.